


Defect

by Cataegus



Series: One-Word Prompt Drabbles [1]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Basically just my OC simping for Radiance for 20 minutes and then getting infected, Drabble, F/F, Hornet and Vespa are mentioned, Oneshot, Radiance is the only one who actually shows up, Warning for some religious implications
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:13:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27452533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cataegus/pseuds/Cataegus
Summary: A lone wasp craves the touch of the Old Light.(Written for a drabble challenge based on a one-word writing prompt)
Relationships: The Radiance (Hollow Knight)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: One-Word Prompt Drabbles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2005735
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	Defect

_ Her wings burned, seared with the burning light. That horrible, searing light, the fury of a forgotten goddess, the rage of a sun too close. Burning, burning, bright, TOO BRIGHT, infection, too enthralling. The light. The light, the light, the light, burning everything it touched, everything it looked at, dooming all who answered its call. All who answered HER call. _

Sting shoots upright with a gasp. The light is fresh on her mind, black eyes shining with tears. It was only a dream, she knows - Her Light wouldn’t allow the Infection to touch her. She believes that,  _ truly _ believes it. She knows, deep in herself, below the pull of any pheromones Vespa might try to draw her back to the Hive with, that the Light is stronger. She will protect her.

Protect her last true follower, fully devoted to her Goddess.

Sting sighs, fluttering her wings to pull her into a standing position, and grabs her long, thin needle - the weapon of the Hive. Only a few know how to use it, all trained within Vespa’s isolated, honey-coated walls. Thinking about that place causes a deep, groaning pain within her core. She can’t go back. She strayed from the Hive. She isn’t obedient, not like the others. Even Hornet, the wyrm-spider who was brought there as a child, is more loyal than Sting is.

And if Hornet knew what she had become? What she represents now, what she ties her loyalty to instead of her Queen, instead of the Wyrm? Surely she would kill her, wrap her in burning silk and drive her needle through the traitorous wasp’s shell in an instant, knowing how she betrayed the protector’s father. Betrayed them all.

Warmth trickles at the edges of her thoughts, a light burning behind her eyes. It isn’t malicious, not like the harsh burn of the infection. This light, this warmth, is  _ affectionate. _ She can feel Her brush against her mind, soft and warm and comforting in a way she doesn’t show when she has to force her way in.

**_Don’t worry yourself with the Wyrm’s kin_ ** _ ,  _ Her Light soothes, voice melodic and echoing in a way only her Goddess is capable of, her enthralling, beautiful Light. The Radiance, the gentle side of the faded deity, speaking only to  _ her. _ To her last fully devoted follower.  **_They do not care about us. They see those drawn into my light as victims of some curse. So far from the truth._ **

_ What would you have me do?  _ Sting thinks, voice soft and uncertain. She trusts the Radiance with her life, wants to know how to help her. She relaxes at the touch of the Light, her wings resting against her back. Nothing else matters, nothing beyond the voice of her Goddess.

**_You truly wish to love me,_ ** Radiance hums, in thought. The voice echoes for a moment, loud in the quiet of these empty caves Sting has camped in.  **_Would you make that love permanent? Would you devote your whole self to me, truly?_ **

_ Of course I would!  _ Sting’s voice grows defensive, thoughts snapping around the very idea of hesitation. She feels a bolt of  _ panic _ at the idea of disappointing the Old Light, HER Light. She feels the cold metal of her needle jolt across her hand, unaware that she had tightened her grip on it.  _ I would serve you to the ends of the caverns, my brilliant Light. I would break the Seals keeping you bound myself, if only you asked. _

**_I can allow you,_** Her voice chimes, melodic, **_Listen to me, Acolyte. Become one with me. Trust me, and I will give you everything. I will allow you to become one with my Light....one with my Mind._**

Sting’s wings flutter behind her, and she feels the ground give way under her. Cold gives way to the sudden warmth of the air, and she registers that she’s flying. Just hovering, but....it’s involuntary, she thinks. It doesn’t have to be voluntary.  _ Of course, My Light. I will follow you. Do whatever you like. _

**_Excellent._ **

She  _ feels _ the word more than hears it, the last thing that echoes through her mind, all-consuming. And then everything goes  _ orange. _ Light burns at the edges of her vision, blazing warmth coiling itself around her limbs. Distantly, the sound of clattering as a needle - was that hers? - hits the floor. Orange tendrils are coiled around her, burning painlessly against her shell, orange on gold on black in a glorious medley of colors.

Sting is fading, but also not. Warmth. She feels warm. She feels bright. The light overtakes more of her vision, spilling out of her eyes, tinting her wings, seeping into the joints and beneath her shell, sinking into her. Her soft insides are bright,  _ warm. _ She doesn’t just feel warm anymore. She  _ is _ warm, she is  _ light. _ The Light is everything.

The Light consumes her being before she has time to regret her decision.

**Author's Note:**

> Ayyy first oneshot actually finished and posted! This is part 1 of a writing challenge a friend and I are doing where we write one-shots based on one-word prompts to see what each person does with the word. More incoming when I write them, don't expect any concrete schedule to these.


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